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Visionary
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Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Has anyone put a wider than stock tire on the front? any issues with clearance? handeling?
I am thinking of 140/70-18 |
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Cruiser
Posts: 142
elgin mn | somone on the forum is using a Bridgstone Battleaxe that size I also think it is a rear tire, toying with that idea myself. |
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Visionary
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Rancho Cucamonga, CA | The issues I saw with the Battleaxe was that, 1. being a rear tire, you would want to run it backwards so the stesses were correct, but then the water grooves would carry water to the center of the tire. 2. Bias tires wear out faster than radials.
I am looking at the Metzler ME880 XXL 140/70H-18 front radial.
I also just looked at the fender and can see there should be no issue running this size.
I personally like the looks of a wider front tire, but can anyone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of it? |
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Central Wisconsin | Nozzledog - 2011-09-09 12:17 AM The issues I saw with the Battleaxe was that, 1. being a rear tire, you would want to run it backwards so the stesses were correct, but then the water grooves would carry water to the center of the tire. 2. Bias tires wear out faster than radials. I am looking at the Metzler ME880 XXL 140/70H-18 front radial. I also just looked at the fender and can see there should be no issue running this size. I personally like the looks of a wider front tire, but can anyone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of it? 
The Metzler looks like a GREAT choice for a front tire. I haven't had any issues with the 140mm size, also front of bike feels more stable.
After 6000 miles lots of thread depth left on my Battlax, didn't feel any hydroplaning when we rode in three hours of rain, later the Interstate was closed due to flooding. 
Edited by Thomas 2011-09-09 8:40 AM
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Cruiser
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Fort Walton Beach, FL | Has anyone run a 150/70 -18 on the front? |
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Cruiser
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Akron, Ohio | I too run the battlax on the front an really like the way it rides. No issues in rain.
Here is a review I did when I mounted the tire. This has been 5-6 thousand miles ago and it still all holds true.
I got the new front tire mounted today. After I finished installing the rim and tire back on the bike, I looked at the driveway and all the ice and snow had melted. The roads are mostly dry, so I had to try it out. I did about 50 miles. For the most part, it feels like my E3 did. I really could not tell much of a difference. I did not really try any hard turns as the pavement temp is still cold and the tire is new and not broke in. I did do some freeway and the bridge transition plates were a non issue. Any road grooves that I hit and even road with to feel the tire were also a non issue. As far as ride stability, I road about 5 miles no handed at 70mph and the bike was as smooth and stable as could be. Just for your info, I looked long and hard at which way I wanted to mount the tire. I decided to mount it in the reverse direction that was on the tire for the rear mounting direction. So my arrow now is back wards on the tire. The big decision maker was looking at the stock E3, the tread was in the same direction, and I know the water that that tire had been through with no issues. So all in all, first ride with the tire was a two thumbs up deal.
Ken
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Visionary
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New Bohemia, VA | I wonder how that would run with a stock E3 on the rear? Just a thought. |
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Tourer
Posts: 394
Tucson, AZ | I like the idea of running the Battlax, but I'm still confused on reversing the rotation. Can you explain the advantage? |
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Tourer
Posts: 394
Tucson, AZ | BTW, I also run a Potenza on the rear. |
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Cruiser
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Akron, Ohio | The front tire of a bike is set up to give maximum traction when braking. A rear gives maximum when accelerating. So if you run a rear on the front, you need to run it backwards. |
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Tourer
Posts: 394
Tucson, AZ | Aaaaah. Now that makes sense!! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 161
Tampa, Fl United States | i run the CT on the rear and the battelax (140/1718) up front w/the correct rotation (arrow pointed in the correct direction) no issues and love it
FRED |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Since a rear tire is designed to handle both acceleration and braking forces, it probably is a non-issue running it forward or backward, even though front braking will put much more force on a tire than rear braking. It only really matters when mountiing a rear that you get the direction right because it is under a constant acceleration force that will cause a mismounted tire to die way before its time. As far as the grooves go, running a rear backwards on some tires will channel water towards the center instead of away from the tire and could cause hydroplaning, however I have not heard of anyone hydroplaning because of it either, so it is mostly theoretical.
Now, being a bias tire, it shouldn't (theoretically) last as long as a radial tire, but being a rear tire, it has deeper tread and will last longer than a front.
So will a bias rear tire on the front last longer than a radial front on the front?
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Handyhoward - 2011-09-10 6:40 AM
Has anyone run a 150/70 -18 on the front?
Who makes one? I would also like to know if anyone has put one on. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 92
Fort Walton Beach, FL |
Who makes one? I would also like to know if anyone has put one on.
I have a brand new Pirelli Night Dragon150/70-18 rear tire that I had ordered for my Fatboy... then I sold the Fatboy and bought the Vision. Soon I believe that I will try this tire out on the front of the Vision... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Handyhoward - 2011-09-11 5:38 AM
I have a brand new Pirelli Night Dragon150/70-18 rear tire that I had ordered for my Fatboy... then I sold the Fatboy and bought the Vision. Soon I believe that I will try this tire out on the front of the Vision...
Keep us posted. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | DON'T DO IT!!!!
The Metzeler 140/70-18 is too big. I just tore a hole in the top of my fender from the tire rubbing. I thought it was clear, but I was wrong. From what I can tell, it has a diameter of 26" and the stock E3 is 25.26". The Battelax is 25.7". I am suprised they don't rub either. I guess that was a $450 experiment gone bad ($250 new fender, $150 tire, $50 mounting).
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Cruiser
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Lynnwood, WA | Nozzledog - 2011-10-26 1:13 PM
DON'T DO IT!!!!
The Metzeler 140/70-18 is too big. I just tore a hole in the top of my fender from the tire rubbing. I thought it was clear, but I was wrong. From what I can tell, it has a diameter of 26" and the stock E3 is 25.26". The Battelax is 25.7". I am suprised they don't rub either. I guess that was a $450 experiment gone bad ($250 new fender, $150 tire, $50 mounting).
I wonder if the Ness bikes have a lower mounted front fender... I was just looking at pics of your bike and the fender does look lower, or it may be my imagination. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | I like this on front and rear. A little rough on ride but mileage is forever. Great in snow and wet leaves also. And no need for balance.
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Central Wisconsin | Nozzledog - 2011-10-26 3:13 PM DON'T DO IT!!!! The Metzeler 140/70-18 is too big. I just tore a hole in the top of my fender from the tire rubbing. I thought it was clear, but I was wrong. From what I can tell, it has a diameter of 26" and the stock E3 is 25.26". The Battelax is 25.7". I am suprised they don't rub either. I guess that was a $450 experiment gone bad ($250 new fender, $150 tire, $50 mounting). Damn that's an expensive $fender/tire$ experiment. How many miles did it take the tire to rub a hole through the fender? Do you think there is a difference in fender/tire clearance between the Ness and regular the Vision? Go figure the Metz 140/70/18 with 6/32" thread depth is .3" taller then the Battlax 140/70/18 with 9/32" thread depth.
I have 9000 miles on my Battlax which still has around (6/32" - 7/32" ) of thread depth and without any issues.
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Iron Butt
Posts: 612
| glighto11 - 2011-10-26 5:54 PM
I like this on front and rear. A little rough on ride but mileage is forever. Great in snow and wet leaves also. And no need for balance. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
JACKPOT! I'm switching to that tire immediately! |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Parts catalog shows same fender and forks for Ness and Tour models. It melted a hole in less than 100 miles. I heard rubbing right off the bat, but thought it was the new brake pads wearing in.
I kinda like the looks of the bike without the front part of the fender on, I may keep it that way until this tire wears out.
What does the front half of the fender do anyway? |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| One my hd bagger i ran a 18" rear tire up front with the arrow pointing to the back and war in out in 15 thousand miles. i ask a metzler rep about it and he said I did it right.
So the vision should be the same. |
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Central Wisconsin | Nozzledog - 2011-10-27 4:23 PM Parts catalog shows same fender and forks for Ness and Tour models. It melted a hole in less than 100 miles. I heard rubbing right off the bat, but thought it was the new brake pads wearing in. I kinda like the looks of the bike without the front part of the fender on, I may keep it that way until this tire wears out. What does the front half of the fender do anyway? Might be a little messy from road grime without the front half of the fender. Not sure if a piece of gravel caught in the tire tread could sling shot into the bottom of the headlight. Just idea, maybe you could find a piece of automotive molding/trim and cover the hole.
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Tourer
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Moravia, IA | Nozzledog - 2011-10-27 4:23 PM
Parts catalog shows same fender and forks for Ness and Tour models. It melted a hole in less than 100 miles. I heard rubbing right off the bat, but thought it was the new brake pads wearing in.
I kinda like the looks of the bike without the front part of the fender on, I may keep it that way until this tire wears out.
What does the front half of the fender do anyway?
Your my new hero N-Dog......because now I feel a little less 'tarded for doing the same damn thing about a week ago.....lol.
I put a 120/90 on the front.....felt it and there was clearance. Road about an hour and felt again.....tire wasnt warm and everything seemed fine.
Next day.....two up for 3 hours on the freeway.......melted a hole in the fender.
Im also growing quite use to the looks of the bike with no front fender - it may not get replaced..... |
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Tourer
Posts: 324
New Orleans, La, | N-Dog HMD sells a quality replacement front half for 185 in fiberglass unpainted and Kewel Metal makes a whole front in, you guessed it, metal for 370 also unpainted and must be drilled. Both are custom looking and have the advantage of being,God forbid, repairable. If I have to replace a front fender I would only look at these two venders. Just MHO. |
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Visionary
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Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Already ordered the HMD one. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Another note of caution, running with only the back half of the front fender does not provide enough strength to the back half. It broke at the mounting bolts. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | glighto11 - 2011-10-26 6:54 PM
I like this on front and rear. A little rough on ride but mileage is forever. Great in snow and wet leaves also. And no need for balance.
+1+1+1
I was thinking of getting a set of those Tractor tires for my ride. But lately I have been looking at modifing my Vision to accept this. Gotta get better milage and NO FLATS!!
Edited by MaddMAx2u 2012-08-22 12:31 PM
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